Gate



May 9,1933. w A CROSS 1,908,659

GATE

Filed Feb. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.1

3 I 9 4 InVerrZo/v 1 M1. IA 6720::

A. CROS GATE Filed Feb. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 7

, tended with Patented May 9, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAEA. CROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A SSIGNOB TO EARL I. CROSS, 0F ELMHUBST,ILLINQIS GATE . Application filed February 1, 1929. Serial No. 836,685.

The object of my invention is to provide a gate adapted particularly foruse in airplanesheds or hangars, that can be readily and safely operatedto close or open a wide opening of comparatively low height, so as tomake virtually the whole width of the opening available for ingress andegress whlle re-- qulring support neither from the superstructure aboveit, nor from the ground below 1t; the objection to support from thesuperstructure being that it would require, with a wide span, thebuilding of a heavy, expensive superstructure; and the objection tosupport from the ground being that in unfavorable weather operation ofthe gate is often atdifliculties and considerable loss of time.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an airplane-shedprovided with my gate in closed position; Fig. 2 is a like, enlarged,elevation with the gate open and certain parts broken away; Fig. 3 is asectional elevation in the plane indicated by line 3-3 in Flg. 1; Fig. 4is a like elevation in the plane indicated by line H in Fig. 2; Fig. 5is a sketch of an alternate method of arranging the counterweights of mygate, showing the gate in closed position; Fig. 6 is a like sketchshowing the gate in open position; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of mygate, with the covering broken away, indicating the principal verticaltruss members of the preferred con-,

struction of my gate; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of my gate, inthe plane of line 88 in Fig. 7, indicating the principal horizontaltruss members of my gate; Fig. 9 is a sketch,

showing my gate in closed position, attached to rolling frames, togetherwith operating mechanism for this type of construction; Fig. 10 is asimilar sketch with my gate in open position; and I Fig. 11 is anenlarged section of certain members hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, near the sides 10, built of any suitablematerial, such as concrete, masonry or steel, of an airplane-shed,

- there are mounted, within the shed and near its front entrance, onsuitable supports 11, by means of axles 12, oscillatable frames13,'carrying between them, adjoining their circularly rounded faces 14,gate 15 and, on extensions 16, counterweights 17. (State 15 ispreferablymade convex-cylindrical on the outside, and flat on theinside, as shown in the drawings, and is metal, extended over a suitabletruss-frame 18, for which space is aiforded between the outer covering19 and the inner covering 20 of the gate. Faces 14, along their outeredges 21, are provided with cogs 22 into which mesh the cogs of twosmall driving gears 23 which are fixedly mounted on a shaft 24 adaptedto be oscillated by a driven gear 25, operated by means of suitabletransmission gears 26, through worm 27 which ordinarily 1s driven by areversible electric motor 28, but may also be operated, in emergencies,by means of an endless chain 29, engaging sprocket wheel 30, mounted onworm gearshaft 31. Shaft 24 primarily is mounted in bearings 32 onsupports 11, but is supported between these bearings by hangers 33fastened to the roof supports above. Where drainage is ample, extensions16 may be made long, carrying comparatively light counterweights 17,swinging,

preferably built of strong sheet-' when gate 15 is raised, into pits 34,as shown I in Fig. 4; but where drainage 15 not ample, extensions 16 maybe made short, and counterweights 17 correspondingly heavier, so as toployed arms 35 and counterweights 17 project, when my gate 15 is closed,in the same direction from axle 12 as gate'15.

To provide suitable space for my gate when in open position, and at thesame time to strengthen the construction of the roof of the shed overthe front entrance, I prefer to have the roof there supported b anarched trussconstruction 39, extending rom a front girder 40 to the nextgirder 41. In order to prevent excessive drafts of air over the top ofmy gate, I provide it above and along its upper edge with an astrigal42, adapted to engage I an apron 43 which extends along the beds 58.

' entrance of the shed than gears 23 and shaft when closed, against win11. p edge of the front-entrance of the airplaneshed and which isrigidly connected tothe roof structure. This astrigal and apron arepreferably provided, one with pins 44, and the other with verticalopenings 45, adapted to be engaged b pins 44, for the purpose ofproviding ad itional stabilitiy for my gate,

ressure. The

same purpose is served, along t ebottom edge of my gate, by slopingcleats 46, set opposite to each other, so as to form between themtroughs 47, which, being open at their ends, can be easily cleaned, andyet provide rigid seats to be entered by the lower edge of my gate whenit is closed. In order to facilitate opening of my gate in severefreezing weather I provide along its lower edge, between outer covering19 and inner covering 20, a steampipe 48, provided with suitable outlet49 at one end, and connected at its other end to a supply pipe 50 whichleads through the center of one of axles 12, to a swivel-joint 51supplied with steam, when needed, from stationary steampipe 52. Rigidmetal shields 53 are firmly connected to supports 11, to prevent contactbetween the movable parts mounted on supports 11 and persons and objectsthat may come near these moving parts. Throughout my construction Iprefer to use ball-bearings or roller-bearings in order to make it aseasy as possible to operate my gate. In the alternate construction,indicated in Figs. 9 and 10, gate 15 is mounted on two frames 54,carrying counter-weights 17 and provided along their rolling surfaces 55with teeth 56 adapted to enter openings 57 in Drawbars 59 have theircurveddown front ends oscillatably connected, by means of pins 60, toframes 54 near the forward ends of these frames, and are provided alongtheir rear ends with rack teeth 61 into which mesh gears 62, mounted onshaft 63,- said gears and shaft being mounted and operated in allrespects substantially as above set forth with reference to shaft 24,except that they are located much farther from the 24. Since thisconstruction in many respects appears to be. less desirable than the oneabove set forth in detail, I refrain'from describing it with greaterparticularity.

In order to facilitate exit and entrance of persons, when my gate 15 isclosed, I prefer to provide at least one small door 64 in my gate 15.This small door is preferably set some distance above the bottom of gate15 So as to weaken its framework as little'as possible, .and so as notto interfere with steampipe 48, and is preferably arranged to openoutwardlyso as to avoid all chance of its flopping open and getting intothe way of airplanes when gate 15 is open.

It will be apparent to any engineer or mechanic, without furtherelucidation, that gate 15'can readily be swung from the position shownin Figs. 1, 3 and 5 to the position shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6, andviceEversa, by the proper operation of motor 28 or chain 29; and that inthe construction indicated in Figs. 9 and 10, gate 15 can b similarmeans as readily be swung from t e closed to th open position and viceversa.

Explaining further the construction of gate 15, I prefer to embody intoit a double vertical truss, as indicated in Fig. 7, and a doublehorizontal truss, as indicated in Fig.

8. Suitable bracing, not shown in the drawings, is employed forconnecting and stiffening the various parts of my gate, and the innercovering 20, as well as the outer covering 19, is firmly connected tothe framework, so as to serve as reinforcements of the truss frameworkand as integral parts of the bracing structure of my gate. The greatadvantage of constructing my gate in the manner described will bereadily apparent to any engineer when it is considered that airplanesare getting larger and larger, and that even now entrance openin s 20feet or more in height, and one hundre fifty feet in Width, areoccasionally. required. The windpressure upon a gate of this size, in agale, requires great stoutness of construction. So likewise does thewidth of a span of 150 or more feet, for a gate that is to be bodilylifted by means connected to the side-ends of the gate. Yet it ismanifestly desirable to reduce the weight of such a gate as much aspracticable. These requirements cannot be met to like advantage by anyother construction than the one indicated by me.

While my gate is primaril designed for use in airplane sheds, it is aapted also for use in wharves, warehouses, entrances to fair grounds,factories and other places.

Manifestly its construction and operation may be modified in manyrespects without departure from the essentials of my invention. All suchmodifications I intend to cover by my claims.

I claim- 1. In connection with an entrance opening, the combination of aclosure, adapted to close the opening; members located at the sides ofthe opening, carrying the closure, and adapt ed to move the closure froma substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal overheadposition, and vice versa; means, located on both sides of the opening,for actuating the carrying members; and apparatus for operating theactuating means in unison, said apparatus. including a horizontaloverhead shaft located outside of the pathway traversed by the closurein opening and closing. 7 p

2. In connection with an entrance opening, a closure adapted to close.the opening, presenting, in vertical cross-section, a rounded outer faceand a substantially flat inner face,

covering, forming a reinforcement of the truss-frame, in combinationwith members located at the sides of the opening, carrying the closure,and adapted to move the closure from a substantially vertical positionto a substantially horizontal overhead position, and vice versa; means,located on both sides of the opening, for actuating the carryingmembers; and apparatus for operating the actuating means in unison,said, apparatus including a horizontal overhead shaft located outside ofthepathway traversed by the closure in opening and closing.

4. In connection with an entrance opening, the combination of a closureadapted to close' the opening; members located within the opening, ateach" side thereof, carrying the closure, and adapted to move theclosure from a substantially vertical position to a substantiallyhorizontal overhead position, below the roof of the structure containingthe opening, and vice versa; and means, other than the closure itself,for actuating both of the carrying members in unison.

5. In connection with an entrance opening, the combination of a closure,not supported by the superstructure of the opening and adapted to closethe opening; means for. mov-' ing the closure from a substantiallyvertical position to a substantially horizontal overhead position, andvice versa; asuitable flange projecting beyond the face of the closureabout its upper edge; and a member attached to the superstructure of theopening,

and adapted to be engaged by the flange.

6. In connection with an entrance opening,

position to a substantially horizontal over-v head position, and viceversa; a suitable flange projecting beyond the face of the (210- sureabout its upper edge; a member attached to the superstructure of theopening and adapted to be engaged by the flange; said flange and memberbeing provided with pins and with openings, to be entered by the .pins,for locking the'flange to the member against horizontal movement.

8. In connection with an entrance opening, the combination of a closureadapted to close the opening; members located within the opening at eachside thereof, carrying the closure, and adapted to move the closure froma substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal overheadposition, and vice versa; and means, other than the closure itself, foractuating both of the carrying members in unison.

9. In connection with an entrance opening, the combination of a closureadapted to close the opening; oscillatable members located thecombination of a closure, not supported by the superstructure of theopening and adapted to close the opening; means for moving the closurefrom a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontaloverhead position, and vice versa; a suitable flange projecting beyondthe face of the closure about its upper edge; a member attached to thesuperstructure of the opening and adapted to be engaged by the flange;and means for locking the flange to the member, against horizontalmovement.

7. In connection with an entrance opening, the combination of a closure,not supported by the superstructure of the opening and adapted to closethe opening; means for moving the closure from a substantially vertical

